"We want to let them know what they are in for," said Joe Jones, president of the Hampton Police Association.

Jones said the officers plan to inform the roughly 90 test-takers that they have been working without a contract since 2006 and the town leaders as of late, don't seem to care.

The decision to host the rally during the testing, which will occur at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Brown Avenue station, came after the town's negotiation team ignored the association's request three weeks ago to sit back down at the negotiation table."

Thursday, September 29, 2011

The United States Commerce Department just released the final Gross Domestic Product numbers for the second quarter (Apr-Jun) of 2011. The economy continues to grows at a good pace - better than the first quarter. The number you will hear on the news tonight will be 1.3% growth rate. There is just one little detail that will not be presented - 1.3% is after removing inflation.

The anchor will have a live interview with a "citizen on the street", who will claim that the economy is not even keeping up inflation, which will be left unchallenged. "There you have it folks - The American economy is in the tank and who knows where it is going." An unadulterated, unequivocal, blatant lie that will be repeated over and over. Is there no shame? Does the battle for political victory have any ethical boundaries?

The above chart shows the quarterly growth rate for the eight quarters since the last recession. These are the amounts that your annual pay raises would have to equal to keep you on par with the national economy, 3.8% for FYE June 30, 2012 and 4.4% for FYE June 30, 2011. Have you been getting pay raises in this range? If you have, please email us the details and a picture of your mayor. We would like to honor him.

San Jose unions offer pension concessions - San Jose Mercury News: "Five unions representing San Jose police officers, firefighters and other workers offered pension reductions for current and future employees Wednesday, contending that they would save nearly half a billion dollars in retirement costs over five years and avoid a long, costly court fight with the city.
Retired officers and firefighters also stepped up with an offer to reduce annual cost-of-living raises on their pensions and retirement bonus checks.
"No one here today doubts that San Jose faces tough budget times," John Mukhar, a senior city engineer representing a union of some 200 city engineers and architects, said at a news conference. "Our proposal is a good-faith effort to meet the city halfway.""

The DOJ's Office of Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) announced more than $243 million in hiring grants awarded to 238 law enforcement agencies.

The funds will be used to hire or rehire more than a thousand officers and deputies.

The competitive grant program provides 100 percent funding for the entry-level salaries and benefits of newly-hired or rehired, full-time officer positions over a three-year period.

After the three-year period, the cities and municipalities will be required to pay for the officers on their own and maintain the number of positions acquired through the grant or risk being deemed ineligible for the program in the future.

Flint police, firefighters, other employees forced to take health care concessions under new law | MLive.com: "FLINT, Michigan — They’ve haggled over concessions for years, but now the city of Flint’s police and firefighters will likely be forced to pay more toward their health care costs under a new state law signed by Gov. Rick Snyder.
The law caps the amount that public employers, including schools and governments, can pay toward their employees’ medical plans.
It’s set to take effect Jan. 1 for any employees under expired union contracts, such as Flint’s four public safety bargaining units, and will apply to any new or renewed future union contracts. The Flint School District's teachers also are under an expired contract."

The employer caps range from $5,500 for a single employee to $15,000 for a family, or employers could opt to pay no more than 80 percent of the annual cost of the health care plans — leaving employees to pay at least 20 percent.Snyder says it’s a “fair and equitable” way to save taxpayer dollars, but employee unions say the measure is an attack on collective bargaining rights.“You bargain in good faith with your employer and enter into a contract, and now you’ve got a law that’s forcing you to adopt some things you’ve never negotiated,” said Flint police Officer Brian Burdy, president of the Flint Police Officers Association. “It’s my contention (the law) is completely unconstitutional.”

The Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation Trust has just released its 2011 report on the cost of medical insurance premiums for employer health insurance plans. Single coverage is up 7.5% from last year, while a family plan is up 9.5%. To read the entire report, click this headline of this article.

For holiday work, officers get eight hours of pay at the normal rate, a paid day off for the holiday and a paid day off for working on the holiday. Union representatives say officers need their days off and they are unwilling to see that time shaved or replaced with monetary compensation.

"It's not about the money," union Vice President Sgt. John Rossetti said.

"We have a very professional and well-trained police force, and people in Manchester should feel very good about that," town General Manager Scott Shanley said Tuesday. "But in this era, we have to take a look at public employee contracts and legacy clauses that provide for [future] liabilities to the taxpayers."

The two sides reached an agreement for a one-year contract, just before the city was to have it's final budget meeting. Now, city commissions will be able to close a $62 million budget deficit.� They wanted $12 million in concessions from the police union.

The police had been trying to get a three-year contract, but city officials wanted it to be for one year.

For more than two decades, he has been like an attack dog for the police union. As president of the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association, he has fought for working conditions, salary and benefits for the city’s police officers.

In that time, he has overseen negotiations and arbitrations that have nearly tripled the salaries of police, shortened the number of hours they work, and instituted seniority for bidding on positions.

Those are just a few of the highlights in a career that has often cast Meegan as a thorn in the side of mayors and police commissioners alike.

Meegan, 60, will retire from the police force and the PBA at the end of the year."

NOTE FROM POLICEPAY - If it were not for Bob Meegan and other "guerrilla leaders" like him, the status of police officers in this country would not be what it is today. If you think your city is hard nosed, just go to the Southern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Great police union leaders from this area have fought with "their final ounce of courage" to make life better for all police officers - Ron Evangelista, Bob Beck, Steve Loomis, Dan Wagner, Bob Meegan.

Also in the new contract comes an option to switch from a PPO to HMO medical plan, the elimination of the cadet ranking and an increase in the retirement bonus for officers serving more than 25 years.

“(The agreement) will lock us up over the next five years,” said supervisors Chairman Robert Birch. “I want to extend my thanks to the chief, deputy chief, all the police officers, all the members of your negotiating team and a special thanks to Candyce (Chimera) and (township manager) Larry (Gregan), representing the board throughout this negotiation. It went very smoothly and we are very, very pleased we’ve accomplished this.

Mayor: Contract Changes Mean No Police, Firefighter Layoffs Next Year - Madison News Story - WISC Madison: "MADISON, Wis. -- Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said on Monday that local unions have agreed to $2.3 million in contact modifications that will mean no layoffs or furloughs for police officers or firefighters for next year.
At a news conference on Monday morning, Soglin said local police and fire unions have agreed to modify their contracts.
"These are some major changes, and I think show tremendous understanding and dedication by the police officers and the firefighters," he said.
Soglin previously warned of possible cuts to both departments as part of a budget shortfall that has been estimated at more than $15 million. The budget shortfall had put up to 70 police and fire positions in jeopardy"

Two weeks ago the city came to terms with its three other unions, agreeing to one-year contracts that, coupled with citywide cost reductions and savings from not filling positions, would cut $50 million from the budget. That left Miami seeking $12 million in concessions from the police union.

Intense daily negotiations last week had both sides agreeing on a combination of pay reductions, overtime concessions, unpaid holidays, not purchasing new cars or uniforms, and healthcare reform."

“We were this close to finishing,” said Fraternal Order of Police President Armando Aguilar, his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “It’s obvious they want to screw us every year.”

The details were not disclosed at the last city council meeting but City Clerk Don Kittinger has provided The Times with an overview of the changes in the contract for July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2013. The officers will receive a two percent pay increase per year for the period of the contract and will received longevity bumps for seniority years 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.

The officers were also granted two additional holidays (Labor Day and Good Friday), and Christmas Day was increased from half a holiday to a full day. The council approved a pay increase for Police Chief Randy Hamblin at the same two percent per year rate at its last meeting.

Friday, September 23, 2011

This is some of the Kasich propoganda we are up against, and the reason it is so vitally important we keep our supporters and undecided potential supporters educated on the FACTS of SB-5 vs. the fiction the Kasich and his supporters are spewing.

FICTION "No Arbitrator from Iowa is going to tell MY mayors what they have to pay their employees" Quote from Kasich during several national, state, and local TV interviews regarding SB5

FACT By State Law arbitrators used for interest arbitrations MUST be State of Ohio residents. There is only two possibilities at work here, the first one being that Kasich out right and bold faced lied to the American people on (CNN and CNBC that I saw first hand), and , Ohioans, OR Kasich is completely misinformed as to the facts and procedures of the arbitration process.

Either case is completely unacceptable from our elected leader and is demonstrative of the lengths our opponents will go to "shove" this legislation down our throats.

FACT Prior to the passing of the Collective Bargaining Act in 1983, statewide strikes from Safety Force Unions numbered in the triple digits during every contract cycle. During the 28 year period collective bargaining has been established there have been exactly 0 Safety Force strikes.

FACT During the 28 year period collective bargaining has been in place, NEUTRAL arbitrators have ruled in the favor of management nearly as many times as they have ruled for labor. There is NO decisive advantage to either party in going to arbitration. The arbitrators make decisions based on the arguments made and the facts presented both both parties in a completely neutral setting.

FICTIONElected government officials are much better suited to decide matters in labor management disputes. They are elected by the people and therefore represent the will of the people. ( In our case Cleveland City Council will decide our fate for us... enough said)

FACT This is just as unfair as it would be if the law allowed Labor to make the final decision. Arbitrators depend on their reputations for neutrality, objectiveness, and fairness to be hired by the involved parties . If the arbitrator has a reputation to be either labor leaning or management leaning they WILL NOT be selected by one or both parties. The same list of arbitrators is provided to both management and labor. Both parties select a predetermined number of arbitrators they feel have a reputation for fairness and submit their selections to the arbitration company. If all goes accordingly, both parties will have selected at least one arbitrator from the list and that selection will hear the case. It cannot get any simpler or fairer than that folks.

If SB5 was truly a good piece of legislation for Ohio and Ohioans the approximatly 400 page law would have withstood good honest debate, discussion, and compromise. 1.3 MILLION signatures collected in less than 8 weeks says it isn't.

Please stay as involved as possible in this fight. The Members of this Association and our families have faced no greater fight or threat than SB5 in our recent history. While most of you signed the petition to get SB5/ Issue 2 on the ballot in November, that signature while completely appreciated, cannot be your only involvement if we are to prevail. We cannot rest or assume others will handle this situation for us, we MUST assume they will not.

We Are Ohio needs people to canvass targeted neighborhoods and house holds in Northeast Ohio. While I understand the reluctance (especially of Police Officers) to voluntarily walk up to the houses of strangers not knowing what reaction they will be facing, I can tell you from experience it has not been difficult or confrontational. In fact, out of the over 200 homes I have been to, I have only received 2 "your wasting your time here son" responses. The rest of the 2 or 3 hour day has been filled with positive responses. The reason being is that We Are Ohio sends us out as a group to knock on the door of PEOPLE WHO SIGNED OUR PETITION, and NOT unknown individuals. The purpose of these meet and greets is to reaffirm the voters position and remind them to please get to the polls or early voting. We DO NOT try to convince or change a persons position, we simply remind them how important every vote is to us and how much we appreciate their support.

.

The same theory applies to those manning phone banks. We are calling known supporters asking for their continued support and reminding them how important it is to get to the polls and vote.

Please invest in your own destiny by volunteering to canvass neighborhoods, man phone banks, or attend any one of a number of scheduled events and press conferences. While wearing uniforms is not advisable, wearing Police apparel is. Walking with your family if possible is also a plus. People need to understand that we are not just the workers of Ohio, we are the residents and families of Ohio as well.

We Are Ohio and our Ohio Safety Force Coalition, Protecting Ohio Protectors, WILL provide canvassers with VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2 tee shirts. There is also food and refreshments provided at the end of these organized walks as well.

Let me know when and if you would like to volunteer. Please go to www.Weareohio.org for more detailed information on planned events in the Northeast Ohio area. I will be e-mailing out schedules as well.

The Cape Coral Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 33 sidestepped the city's labor attorney and negotiating team by sending a letter straight to the Cape Coral City Council and City Manager Gary King outlining the plan's details.

Under the proposal, union members would agree to increase their pension contribution 3 percent, from the current 7 percent to 10 percent. Kurt Grau, union president, estimated the savings to the city at $458,265."

"These are dangerous jobs, and the public knows how hard our jobs are," said John Kazanjian, president of the Police Benevolent Association in Palm Beach County, which represents police officers in every department except Boca Raton. "You get what you pay for. I know they're talking about bringing in more revenues, but they can't put all of this on the backs of the employees.""

Steve James, President of the Long Beach Police Officer’s AssociationPresident of the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations

Long Beach council approves groundbreaking pension reform - Press-Telegram: "The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a labor agreement significantly reforming police pensions. Most immediately, it is anticipated to save at least $16.6 million through fiscal year 2016 and may lead to hiring new officers in the coming years. The deal also extends the police contract two years, to 2016. "This is true pension reform, and this is good for the city," said Councilman Patrick O'Donnell, whose sentiments were echoed by other council members."

Long Beach Police Officers Association President Steve James has said he is hopeful that the concessions will allow the city to jump-start its dormant police academy after next year - when attrition drops officer rolls below the budgeted 835 positions from about 865 today.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Vegas police union: Labor talks have stalled - FOX 5 Vegas - KVVU: "The union representing Las Vegas Metro police officers said talks have stalled to negotiate a new contract with the department. In a statement released Tuesday, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, Chris Collins, said Metro's Fiscal Affairs Committee did not agree with a deal that includes $10 million in cuts to wages and benefits.

"We've been in mediation and discussions for the past several months," Collins said. "We offered to give up longevity pay for new hires which, over the next 30 years, will save a half a billion dollars. "These are significant concessions, but we've reached an impasse because Metro Fiscal Affairs wants more. Our officers will have given up four years of wage increases, along with significant benefit cuts; there are only so many cuts we can take," Collins added."

The arbitration panel worked through the binding arbitration procedure for labor disputes in police and fire departments, which in Michigan is governed by Act 312 of 1969. The new contract is retroactive for the period from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2013. In an email to The Chronicle, Tom Crawford, the city’s CFO, wrote that the panel’s determination does not include any liability for the city dating back to the start of the contract. Highlights of the new deal include a redesigned health care plan which offer options for health care contributions, based on a calendar year. For single-person coverage, for example, the “low plan” would include no monthly premium but a $1,000 deductible. The “high plan” would include a 10% monthly contribution with a $300 deductible. The new contract includes no across-the-board wage increases."

Monday, September 19, 2011

Council will discuss LBPD union contract - ContraCostaTimes.com: "The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday will consider a police union deal that planners say would save at least $69million through fiscal year 2022. To seal the agreement, the city would advance planned raises to union members and set aside money to offset layoffs, at a cost of $2.575million in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Pension reform has been identified as a key to securing Long Beach's financial solvency as the city faces $40.5 million in structural deficits through 2014. Last week, the council finalized $20.3 million in cuts for next year. Police union members have agreed to contribute 7percent more of their salaries to their own pensions, as well as reduce benefits for future hires. City negotiators are looking to strike similar deals with other public employee labor groups. Tuesday's meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. at City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd."

Fraternal Order of Police President Nelson Cuba said today he filed the action with the State of FloridaPublic Employees Relations Commission because Rutherford undermined the system by going to officers directly, rather than through the union.

Cuba said Rutherford directly reached hundreds of officers by attending mandatory roll call meetings Thursday and urging them to take a 2 percent pay cut to help balance the city's budget."

In a close vote, rank and file Milwaukee Police officers and detectives voted against a new contract offer this week.

Among the highlights, the deal would have increased pay by about 4% in 2012, but officers would also have to increase health care contributions by 12%.

"To expect you're going to get more than everybody else is just not realistic," said Mayor Tom Barrett. "And they're getting a little bit more now the firefighters and the police supervisors, a lot more than general employees."
"

The agreements, filled with givebacks like forgoing paid holidays and eliminating retiree healthcare payments, still must be voted on by union members before being ratified by the city’s five commissioners. That’s expected to happen by Monday, when the commission reconvenes.

Commissioners, who will hold public hearings Thursday and again Sept. 29, must send a balanced budget to Tallahassee before October.

Miami faces a $62 million deficit in 2012, caused mostly by overly optimistic revenue projections and the use of non-recurring fees to balance its books in 2011."

“The city had the ability and funds,” consultant Lawrence Jessup told special magistrate James Sherman, an arbitrator weighing arguments from the city and the Fraternal Order of Police about stalled police contract negotiations.

The arbitrator’s conclusions aren’t binding, but they will set the stage for a likely final order by the City Council."

Both the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #2 and receiver Robert G. Flanders Jr. filed a motion asking special Bankruptcy Judge Frank J. Bailey to give them until Oct. 31 to reach an agreement, or failing that, at least until Sept. 23. The FOP had been scheduled to file briefs on Friday that would contest Flanders' claim of the authority to void their contract.

Bailey granted a similar Oct. 31 postponement request by the firefighters and City Hall workers' unions and Flanders Tuesday.

"The city and the union have made progress in their negotiations but have not reached an agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement or a settlement of their disputes," the joint delay request said. "The city and the union believe it will be in their mutual best interests to continue these discussions in an atmosphere under which they are not simultaneously litigating" whether the receiver had the power under bankruptcy law to unilaterally change the city's union contracts.

"NORWALK -- Members of the Norwalk Police Union Local 1727 will get a 2-percent raise retroactive to July 1, and a 2.5-percent raise on July 1, 2012, under a an agreement approved Tuesday night. The Common Council approved unanimously the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the 165-member union following executive session. Mayor Richard A. Moccia thanked the parties involved in negotiating the contract, which he described as "a fair agreement."

"We always have good relationships with both of our police and fire unions," Moccia said. "We always manage to come to a conclusion that is fair. The three-year contract is retroactive to July 1, 2010, and extends through June 30, 2013. The first year of the contract provides no salary increase.

During the public participation portion of the council meeting, Roncinske lent his support to the contract, which he noted was approved 116 to 16 by rank-and-file members of the union.

HOLLYWOOD Voters on Tuesday agreed to dramatic pension reform for police, firefighters and general employees as way to save the financially troubled city an estimated $8.5 million.

With all 70 precincts reporting, only about 11,800 of the city's 84,521 eligible voters (14 percent) cast ballots in this divisive and contentious special election. They favored reform by nearly 58 percent for general employees; and nearly 55 percent for both firefighters and police.

"The vote, it's not really a victory. This should not be a time to pop the corks from the champagne," Mayor Peter Bober said. "I looked at this vote as a public affirmation that we need to tighten our belt, and live within our means and make sure that we are not jeopardizing the future of the city on things that we just aren't able to afford at this time."

A reduction in force could be authorized as soon as today when the City Council holds a public hearing on the proposed budget The hearing is at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

A public protest, stirred by the mayor’s veto, is scheduled at 3 p.m. today at City Hall, according to organizer Dave Montrose. “It’s absolutely a measure of people’s discontent. When you start talking about people’s safety it tends get them out of the woodwork,” Montrose said.

North Las Vegas Approves Deal with Police: "NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- North Las Vegas has reached a deal with its police officers union. The new contract could save the city from shutting down its recreation and senior centers.

Under the deal, union members would give up a cost-of-living raise in 2012, which will save about $2 million. City leaders said they needed about $1.5 million to keep the centers open.

She also says other unions that have agreed to concessions will not be happy with the deal. The city council voted to approve the deal Wednesday. Councilwoman Anita Wood cast the lone dissenting vote. She says the plan is a short-term solution that will hurt the city in the future.

Between 2008 and 2010, the Register said, general fund revenues for Orange County cities fell by $258 million (12 percent). It was startling to read that Santa Ana spent 77 percent of its general fund on police and fire protection and cities such as Westminster, Stanton and Garden Grove also spent more than 70 percent on public safety. A soft economy has caused sales tax and property tax revenue to fall. At the same time, cities are faced with increased medical and pension costs."

The city and police union met again Thursday for contract negotiations.

The union initially proposed a temporary 3 percent pension contribution increase and a wage freeze, also mentioning that additional savings would soon be had when five officers retire in the coming months."

“We desperately want a contract,” said Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County President Steven Long, who held a news conference on the courthouse steps alongside dozens of uniformed deputies Wednesday to announce the latest suit. “But we need to get the county to want one, too.”"

COPS, a popular program that distributes federal grants for uniformed officer hires, school security upgrades and other law enforcement-related initiatives, is not being funded in the next fiscal year. Local towns have brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars since the program was established 16 years ago.

The 16-year-old program, Community Oriented Police Services (COPS), has disseminated millions of dollars during its tenure through grants that not only provide hiring of police, but award aid for police communications upgrades and school safety initiatives. I"